Portable safety door locks

ABSTRACT

An improved simplified portable safety door lock for hinged doors comprising a lock bar including a flat shank having a door jamb striker plate engaging flange at one end and a finger hook at the other end thereof, the lock bar shank having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures therein to accommodate a lock pin therethrough. One end of the lock pin has a rubber sleeve thereover for contacting the door jamb, and the other or free end of the lock pin extends through a selected aperture in the lock bar, and a lock wedge firmly positioned between the inside face of the door and the free end of the lock pin securing the door in its closed position; the portable safety door lock being readily releasable by releasing the wedge and removing the lock pin from the lock bar.

United States Patent Edgar A. Lambert 10005 Cheyenne, Detroit, Mich. 48227 44,009

June 8, 1970 June 29, 1971 [72] Inventor 211 Appl.No. 22 Filed [45] Patented [54] PORTABLE SAFETY DOOR LOCKS [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,128,363 2/1915 Robinson 292/292 3,161,428 12/1964 Zook 292/292 3,352,587 11/1967 Harvey 292/289 Primary Examiner-Ian A. Calvert Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney-Everett G. Wright ABSTRACT: An improved simplified portable safety door lock for hinged doors comprising a lock bar including a flat shank having a door jamb striker plate engaging flange at one end and a finger hook at the other end thereof, the lock bar shank having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures therein to accommodate a lock pin therethrough. One end of the lock pin has a rubber sleeve thereover for contacting the door jamb, and the other or free end of the lock pin extends through a selected aperture in the lock bar, and a lock wedge firmly positioned between the inside face of the door and the free end of the lock pin securing the door in its closed position; the portable safety door lock being readily releasable by releasing the wedge and removing the lock pin from the lock bar.

\ \XTJ PATENTEB JUN29 I971 FIG. 5

FIG?

FIG. 6

- INVILN'IOR. EDGAR A. LAMBERT 3 FIG. 2

1 ATTOENEY PORTABLE SAFETY DOOR LOCKS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The instant invention relates to an improved portable safety door lock which provides a readily usable positive auxiliary door lock for locking hotel, motel or other doors from the inside where a likelihood of being robbed while sleeping exists due to the fact that others may have a duplicate key to the conventional door lock, which portable safety door lock will securely lock most such doors from the inside and can be readily released when and as required. I

A number of prior art door locks of the same general type maybe found in the prior art; for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 118,942 to Howard or US. Pat. No. 3,352,587 to Harvey. However, as compared to the improved and simplified auxiliary door lock of the instant invention, the prior art portable safety door locks are either cumbersome, difficult to use, damage door frames, and are relatively quite expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The auxiliary lock means of the instant invention consists of three simple elements; namely, a lock bar, a lock pin and a lock wedge. The lock bar is formed to be positioned between the edge of the door and the door jamb when the door is closed, and includes a flat shank, an inner right-angle flange that engages the usual striker plate normally secured to the jamb, and has a hooked outer end which may be engaged by ones finger conveniently to hold the said lock bar in place as the door is closed. The lock bar is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures through the shank thereof to accommodate the lock pin, the said lock pin being rubber covered at the end that engages the door frame, while its other or free end extends therefrom to overlie a portion of the inside face of the door in spaced relationship thereto. A lock wedge is firmly disposed between the door and the lock pin to positively lock the door closed from the inside thereof, which lock wedge and lock pin may be readily removed to free the auxiliary lock when and as desired or in the event of an emergency such as fire, windstorm, or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a door jamb and a';

closed swinging door locked from the inside thereof with a Portable Safety Door Lock of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical elevational view taken on the line 2-2 of I FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the lock bar preferably employed;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the lock pin;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a hardwood lock wedge preferably employed; and

FIG. 7 is an edge elevational view of said wedge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The particular portable safety door lock 10 of the invention is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings mounted in locking relationship on a typical door jamb l1 and hinged door 12. The said door jamb 11 illustrated includes a stud 110, a jamb member 111, a door stop 112, and a door jamb molding 113, all preferably nailed together in the usual manner. The said door 12 is hinged on an opposite jamb member (not shown); however, the door 12 is shown in FIG. 2 in its fully closed position abutting the door stop 112 of thc doorjamb 11. The door jamb 11 has a striker plate 13 mounted thereon by such means as the screws 130 as shown in FIG. 2, and has a recess I14 chiseled therein at the door latch aperture I31'therein which normally accommodates the spring loaded door latch 140 ofa conventional door lock 14 which is mounted in the said hinged door 12 flush with the edge 120 thereof.

The portable safety door lock 10 consists of three elements; namely, a lock bar.l5, a lock pin 16, and a lock wedge element 17, all functioning in unison to simply, effectively and economically provide a positive auxiliary locking means for securely locking a hinged door 12 in its closed position from the inside of the door independent of the conventional door lock normally provided, which portable safety door lock can readily and easily be released and the door opened to provide egress therethrough in the event of an emergency such as fire, Windstorm or the like.

The lock bar 15 is formed of a narrow relatively thin steel bar having a flat shank and is provided with an inner preferably right-angle end flange 151 and an outer hooked end 152. The shank 150 of the lock bar 15 is preferably provided with a plurality of apertures 153 therein which telescopically accommodate a lock pin 16 which is selectively telescoped therethrough. The lock pin 16 is of sufficient length to extend over and contact the door jamb molding 113 and over and in spaced relationship to a portion of the face of the hinged door 12 when closed adjacent the door jamb 11 as best shown in FIG. 1. The end of the lock pin 16 opposite. the door jamb molding 113 is preferably covered with a resilient rubber tubing or the like to prevent scoring the door jamb molding 113. A lock wedge element 17 is pressed firmly between the lock pin 16 and the closed hinged door 12 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thus effecting a positiveauxiliary locking of the closed hinged door 12.

To unlock the portable safety door lock 10, the lock wedge element 17 is removed first, the lock pin 16 is then removed from the lock bar 17, and the hinged door 12 may be swung open when and as the conventional locking mechanism thereof is unlocked, if such also had been locked. When the hinged door 12 is swung open, the lock bar 15 is freed for removal from the striker plate 13 and the recess 114 into which the hooked end of the said lock bar has been positioned.

The simplicity, convenience and 'positiveness of the improved portable safety door lock provides an added degree of safety for travelers staying at hotels and motels that do not provide adequate safety locks for their guests.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the various elements of the invention without de parting from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A portable safety door lock for hinged doors disposable between the door and a striker plate mounted in the door jamb opposite a conventional door lock and spring latch mounted in said door with the said door latch disposed in alignment with a latch aperture provided in said striker plate, the said door jamb conventionally being chiseled out at said latch aperture in said striker plate, the said portable safety door lock comprising a lock bar including a flat shank, a flange at one end of said shank engaging said striker plate at the latch aperture therethrough, and a finger hook at the other end of said shank to permit manual holding of said lock bar in a position prior to closing the door so that when said door is closed it engages the shank of said lock bar between said door jamb and said door whereby to hold the flange of said lock bar in said striker plate latch aperture,

said lock bar shank having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures therein located to receive a lock pin telescopically therethrough,

an elongated lock pin having a rubber sleeve thereover at one end thereof for contacting said door jamb when said door is manually closed, the free end of said lock pin being telescoped through a selected aperture in said lock bar shank whereby to dispose the free end of said lock pin in spaced relationship and substantially parallel to the inside face of said closed door, and

a lock wedge firmly positioned between the free end of said lock pin and said closed door whereby to positively lock said door in its closed position independent of any con- 

1. A portable safety door lock for hinged doors disposable between the door and a striker plate mounted in the door jamb opposite a conventional door lock and spring latch mounted in said door with the said door latch disposed in alignment with a latch aperture provided in said striker plate, the said door jamb conventionally being chiseled out at said latch aperture in said striker plate, the said portable safety door lock comprising a lock bar including a flat shank, a flange at one end of said shanK engaging said striker plate at the latch aperture therethrough, and a finger hook at the other end of said shank to permit manual holding of said lock bar in a position prior to closing the door so that when said door is closed it engages the shank of said lock bar between said door jamb and said door whereby to hold the flange of said lock bar in said striker plate latch aperture, said lock bar shank having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures therein located to receive a lock pin telescopically therethrough, an elongated lock pin having a rubber sleeve thereover at one end thereof for contacting said door jamb when said door is manually closed, the free end of said lock pin being telescoped through a selected aperture in said lock bar shank whereby to dispose the free end of said lock pin in spaced relationship and substantially parallel to the inside face of said closed door, and a lock wedge firmly positioned between the free end of said lock pin and said closed door whereby to positively lock said door in its closed position independent of any conventional door lock that may have been employed, the removal of said lock wedge and said lock pin releasing the portable safety door lock to admit of opening said door. 